The present invention relates to the design and manufacture of a composite wheel. Composite materials have been utilized for their advantage of being lighter in weight than conventional metal wheels. As such, the ability to increase the strength of composite materials through the use of various resins, fibers, and configurations of laying out the fibers has been one area of development in the field of composite wheels.
In addition, manufacturing processes to make composite wheels cost-effective to produce is another area of development. Composite wheels are typically made from two main pieces. For example, the wheel may be split vertically so that a first piece (e.g., “street side” half) is joined to a second piece (e.g., “drum side” half). In other examples, the wheel is made of a central disc portion joined to a second rim or ring piece forming the circumference of the wheel. Two-piece wheels may be joined, for example, by metal bolts and adhesives, and may require the use of additional components such as sleeves and collars to assist in aligning and securing the parts together.
There remains a continued need for lightweight, composite wheels with increased strength and improved manufacturability.